AD0453921

Title:

RENDEZVOUS ACCURACY OF THE OMEGA NAVIGATION SYSTEM.

Descriptive Note:

Interim rept.,

Corporate Author:

NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON D C

Personal Author(s):

Report Date:

1964-11-17

Pagination or Media Count:

17.0

Abstract:

Omega is a long-range, very-low-frequency radionavigation system with capabilities of providing a fix with an uncertainty of one mile or less at ranges of 5000 miles from the transmitting stations. The variations in propagation velocities of the signals over a particular path are the major cause of the errors. If the system is used as a rendezvous aid, the propagation errors will cancel out. Thus, the rendezvous accuracy will be greater than the absolute accuracy. The object of this investigation was to determine the rendezvous accuracy of a helicopter and a truck in various surroundings by use of Omega. The Forestport-Summit transmissions demonstrate that the system could be used as a rendezvous aid with accuracies of around 200 yards, with the time of day or environment having no apparent effect on the rendezvous errors. The Haiku-Summit pair showed a greater variation in rendezvous error. In past experiences with the Mark I receiver if the automatic gain control AGC meter indicated more than 40 microamperes, the signal input amplitude was marginal. During this experiment the majority of the AGC readings were above this value for receptions from Haiku. The additional electrical noise in the helicopter and an inadequate antenna combined with the already weak Haiku signal aided in making the Haiku-Summit readings marginal. Author